5K Benchmarks for Women in Their 40s

Many women run their fastest times in their 40s — not despite age, but because of the consistency, discipline, and training intelligence that comes with experience. The WMA benchmarks here show what strong 5K performance looks like at 40 and 45, and the training paces that produce it.

Quick answer: For women age 40–49 running the 5K, a 60% age-grade (“Local Class”) at age 40 is 24:23. A 70% Regional Class performance is 20:54, requiring easy pace 8:47/mi, threshold 7:02/mi. These benchmarks are from WMA (World Masters Athletics) 2025 standards.

Women 5K Times — Ages 40–49

Age	Recreational 50%	Local Class 60%	Regional 70%	National 80%
40	29:16 9:25/mi	24:23 7:51/mi	20:54 6:44/mi	18:17 5:53/mi
45	30:37 9:51/mi	25:31 8:13/mi	21:52 7:02/mi	19:08 6:10/mi

What each level means

National Class (80–89%) — Competitive at national masters championships. Requires serious, structured training over years.
Regional Class (70–79%) — Strong age-group placements at regional races. Consistent training with quality sessions.
Local Class (60–69%) — Competitive in local races. Solid fitness from regular running and some structured training.
Recreational (below 60%) — Running for fitness and enjoyment. Most runners start here.

Training paces by performance level

The training paces below are derived from each WMA benchmark time. If you are running at 70% age-grade, these are the training zones that produce and maintain that performance level.

Age	Level	Time	Easy	Threshold	Interval
40	Local Class	24:23	10:00	7:51	6:51
	Regional Class	20:54	8:47	7:02	6:09
	National Class	18:17	7:52	6:24	5:38
45	Local Class	25:31	10:26	8:10	7:07
	Regional Class	21:52	9:05	7:16	6:21
	National Class	19:08	8:10	6:36	5:48

All paces per mile. Training paces derived from the WMA benchmark time for each age and performance level.

Training at this age and distance

5K performance in the 40s responds strongly to structured training. The aerobic system adapts well at this age, and the primary limiters are usually insufficient volume and running easy days too fast. One quality threshold session and one interval session per week, with the rest of running genuinely easy, drives consistent improvement. Recovery takes longer than in the 20s — spacing quality sessions with adequate easy days is more important, not less.

Calculate your exact age-graded score

Enter your race time below to see your precise WMA age-graded percentage and where you fall relative to these benchmarks.

Age-Grading: Calculates your performance as a percentage of the World Record standard for your specific age and gender. This creates a unified 'Level Playing Field' across all demographics. An 80% score at age 60 represents the exact same relative competitiveness as an 80% score at age 25, even though the absolute race times differ.

Age

Gender

Distance

Time

Population benchmarks are starting points

WMA age-grading tells you how your time compares to world-record standards for your age group. StrideIQ goes further — it tracks your individual efficiency trends, recovery patterns, and adaptation curves from your actual training data. At any age, knowing your population percentile is the beginning. Understanding your personal response to training is what drives real improvement.

Full age-grading calculator →Start free trial

Common questions

What is a good 5K time for a woman in her 40s?

Using WMA age-grading standards, a 40-year-old woman running 24:23 scores 60% ("Local Class") — competitive at local races. A 70% "Regional Class" performance at that age is 20:54. These benchmarks are derived from world-record data for each age group, not population averages.

What training paces should a woman in her 40s use for 5K training?

The right training paces depend on your current fitness. If you are running at 70% age-grade (20:54 for a 40-year-old), your training zones are: Easy 8:47/mi, Threshold 7:02/mi, Interval 6:09/mi. If you are at 60% age-grade, the equivalent paces are: Easy 10:00/mi, Threshold 7:51/mi. Use the calculator below to find your exact paces.

Does 5K performance decline significantly in the 40s?

WMA data shows a modest performance decline through the 40s — roughly two to four percent per five years. The age factors account for this and allow fair comparison across ages. Many women find that consistent, structured training in their 40s produces times faster than their unstructured 30s running. The decline becomes more noticeable after age 60, not 40.

Other demographic benchmarks

5K Benchmarks for Women in Their 50s →Marathon Benchmarks for Men in Their 50s →Marathon Benchmarks for Women in Their 50s →10K Benchmarks for Men in Their 60s →Marathon Benchmarks for Men in Their 60s →Full Age-Grading Calculator →

Data source: Alan Jones 2025 WMA Road Age-Grading Tables, approved by USATF Masters Long Distance Running Council (January 2025). Training paces derived from the Daniels/Gilbert oxygen cost equations using each WMA benchmark time as input.